Rosemead High School created a three part system called the Co-discovery model. The goal of this model is to develop, sustain, and grow a culture of community and student learning that promotes college and career readiness. In order to be comprehensive, the Co-discovery model includes:
Co-defining - All stakeholders working together to identify underlying issues that the school must face in order to prepare for the future and explore how to provide students with an exceptional education that meets the demands of a continually changing environment.
Co-learning - All stakeholders working together to proactively grow through communication, professional development, and being open and flexible to examine existing and new thinking.
Co-creating - All stakeholders working together to synthesize what is co-defined and co-learned, to create a collective endeavor that includes specific individual and collaborative roles and responsibilities for students, teachers, school leaders, and community members.
b. Why the model program was adopted and the need it is addressing
The Co-discovery model was adopted to serve as a dynamic framework to best serve Rosemead High School's diverse community, including a large population of low-income minority students and families, English Learners, and Students With Disabilities. The need was for an inclusive model that promotes a culture of academic excellence and career-oriented thinking for populations of students who are historically underserved and underrepresented in post-high school education.
RHS students reside in a district where family education, English proficiency, and per-pupil spending is low, teacher quality is variable, and poverty is high. It is our mission to reverse a weak college-going culture and maximize our students' post-high school options. Our model's current focus is adapting to the Common Core and coordinating the needs of students with the LCAP and LCFF to improve academic outcomes and overall success.
c. The essential materials, resources, staffing, etc. needed for initiating the model program/practice/strategy
Model essentials include recognition of the community as the unit of identity, the need to build on strengths and resources within the community, collaboration and equitable involvement of all stakeholders, a cyclical and interactive process, and strong communication.
Essential methods of Co-discovery collaboration include:
Schoolloop - A learning management system that integrates parent communication and supports collaboration between students, parents, teachers, and support staff.
Google Application for Education - A platform for digital collaboration among all RHS staff. Students are slated to be included into the emuhsd.org domain in the 2015-2016 school year.
Parent Liaison to proactively connect with parents and reach out to community stakeholders.
Comprehensive Support Student Coordinator to provide added support for at-risk students and their families, including coordination with community support services.
Instructional Coach to facilitate professional development and collaboration within and between various content departments.
Teacher Technology Leader to ensure the integration of effective educational technology and the ability for RHS to stay on the cutting edge of available learning and instructional tools.
Content Specialists and Course Leads to spearhead effective implementation of the Common Core and Next Generation State Standards into RHS curriculum and to promote best practices.
Essential resources include:
Facilities that support the involvement of parents and community members such as the Parent Center and Career Center.
Parents learning about the LCAP in the Parent Center
Facilities that support specific student needs such as the Library Media Center, Resource Computer Labs, and Special Needs Learning Center.
Robust technology assets to include three student computer labs available for class scheduling of student walk-in, iPads and AppleTV for core content teachers, and WiFi in support of research and screencasting and student-created videos.
Students Watching Screencasts
Databases that allow for tracking and synthesis of data to include Teacher Resource Site (TRS) and Academic Record Management System (ARMS).
d. The goals and anticipated outcomes of the model program in relation to teacher and administrator professional development and support
One goal of the Co-discovery model is to foster an environment of teacher and staff-driven professional development that is grounded in best practices that address the Common Core Standards and emphasize the skills necessary to succeed after high school. Teacher professional development is organized though the Learning-Planning-Practice-Reflecting (LPPR) Cycle protocol, which involves teacher leaders in each of its four stages. Workshops are co-presented and organized by the Instructional Coach and teacher leaders to ensure practicality, relevance, and a means for follow-through.
All students experience a rigorous curriculum and quality instruction that teaches to the Common Core Standards and promotes college and career readiness.
All teachers receive systematic and continual PD and to be included in the planning and focus of their PD.
All parents have easy access to relevant information related to their children, Rosemead High School, the El Monte Union High School District, LCAP, Common Core, and other related information and to have opportunities to actively participate in the Co-discovery model.
Community members work with students to develop a culture of real-world learning and college and career readiness.
Students learn about community supported agriculture with support from the City of Rosemead
f. How this model program benefits all students and affects school-wide achievement
The maximally inclusive Co-discovery model benefits all students by including all stakeholders and creating a framework for comprehensive implementation. The practice of co-defining allows RHS to draw input from our diverse student body, regular education teachers, Special Education teachers, community members, and other stakeholders so that students do not "slip through the cracks." Further, the practice of co-learning ensures that RHS teachers collectively receive systematic training and professional development so that all students, regardless of class schedule or program, receives high quality instruction, and that parents also receive professional development to support children's school success.
This multi-dimensional approach has resulted in steadily increasing standardized test scores across all subgroups, number and percentage of students participating in higher level courses, and number of students succeeding in 2- and 4-year colleges.
g. How this model program benefits unique student populations in the learning community
The Co-discovery model emphasizes the necessity of honoring the needs of all students, to include those of unique student populations in the learning community. We acknowledge that students with low incomes, low rates of high school persistence, low language attainment, and low level of parents' education attainment face unique barriers that must be overcome through partnerships and persistence. Unique populations accelerate progress through:
Support for students who may not have the confidence or prior expectation to venture into college-preparatory coursework, such as enrollment into AP, Honors, and AVID courses.
Support for parents seeking to support their children at home such as a full-time Parent Liaison, Parent Center, Adult School ESL classes for parents as well as College and Career Center and community events.
Support for Special Needs Students such as Collaborative Teaching Model to promote inclusion and mastery of subject matter and a dedicated on-campus (Special Needs) Learning Center.
Support for students from low-income families to include Transcript Evaluation Service (TES) that systematically determines and communicates each student's progress toward meeting requirements for admission to California public universities, optimizing academic progress, course selection, and co-creation of an academic and career plan that involves counselors, students, and families.
Support for at-risk students, such as Student Success Teams , led by a full-time Comprehensive Student Support Coordinator to facilitate co-defining challenges and co-creating solutions with the student, family members, Child Welfare and Attendance Officer, Teacher, Instructional Coach, Psychologist, Counselor, Administrator, and community support provider in order to generate an action plan to meet the student's unique needs.
h. How this model program addresses students' social-emotional, behavioral, and academic achievement needs
The Co-discovery model's focus on inclusion allows RHS to be both proactive and reactive to the social-emotional, behavioral, and academic needs of all students.
As an example, co-defining took place when incoming students from high-poverty households had low academic expectations: stakeholders decided to offer AP courses to any students who felt that they would benefit rather than limiting enrollment to top performing students. This bolstered students' expectations for themselves and provided opportunities for those who may not have thought of themselves as "college material." This was further supported by an AVID model that identified potential "falling through the cracks" students and provided them with support and motivation to enroll in AP courses and pursue higher education.
Co-learning has also allowed RHS teachers to better understand how academic achievement, social-emotional support, and behavior are interwoven and to address the holistic needs of our students. RHS teachers have all participated in professional development in how to foster a safe classroom environment that promotes participation and professionalism, which has led to increases in student participation. Some strategies include surveying students, collaboration with counseling services, self-studies, and a focus on healthy class culture. Other examples include the RHS Summer Bridge program, which offers a "head-start" to students who may need extra support as they transition into high school.
i. How this model program/practice/strategy is correlated to all SBE-adopted academic content and performance standards
The Co-discovery model correlates to all State Board of Education-adopted standards. It considers the need to be flexible and inclusive in co-defining potential obstacles and opportunities in addressing the standards, co-learning how to best support students in achieving the standards, and co-creating systems, curriculum, programs, and initiatives that foster success for all students in achieving mastery of standards.
j. How this model program is linked to your LCAP
RHS aligns with the LCAP through co-defining a clear vision among stakeholders about new standards and the need to maintain a sharp focus on learning. The Co-discovery model addresses the LCAP via co-learning:
Use of "gold standard' instructional and curricular practices to establish more demanding benchmarks and performance expectations
Guidelines for teacher understanding and implementation
A professional learning community that promotes capacity building
Ongoing evaluation
Use of data to bring about change
Co-creating links the model to LCAP, e.g., the idea that certain Honors classes could morph into APS; the courage to take on AP "gatekeepers" - teachers who only wanted "A" students; and district support for a Principal to change an AP teacher if (s)he could not make this classroom culture change.
Table of Contents
a. A clear description of the model program
Rosemead High School created a three part system called the Co-discovery model. The goal of this model is to develop, sustain, and grow a culture of community and student learning that promotes college and career readiness. In order to be comprehensive, the Co-discovery model includes:b. Why the model program was adopted and the need it is addressing
The Co-discovery model was adopted to serve as a dynamic framework to best serve Rosemead High School's diverse community, including a large population of low-income minority students and families, English Learners, and Students With Disabilities. The need was for an inclusive model that promotes a culture of academic excellence and career-oriented thinking for populations of students who are historically underserved and underrepresented in post-high school education.RHS students reside in a district where family education, English proficiency, and per-pupil spending is low, teacher quality is variable, and poverty is high. It is our mission to reverse a weak college-going culture and maximize our students' post-high school options. Our model's current focus is adapting to the Common Core and coordinating the needs of students with the LCAP and LCFF to improve academic outcomes and overall success.
c. The essential materials, resources, staffing, etc. needed for initiating the model program/practice/strategy
Model essentials include recognition of the community as the unit of identity, the need to build on strengths and resources within the community, collaboration and equitable involvement of all stakeholders, a cyclical and interactive process, and strong communication.Essential methods of Co-discovery collaboration include:
Essential support staff include:
Essential resources include:
d. The goals and anticipated outcomes of the model program in relation to teacher and administrator professional development and support
One goal of the Co-discovery model is to foster an environment of teacher and staff-driven professional development that is grounded in best practices that address the Common Core Standards and emphasize the skills necessary to succeed after high school. Teacher professional development is organized though the Learning-Planning-Practice-Reflecting (LPPR) Cycle protocol, which involves teacher leaders in each of its four stages. Workshops are co-presented and organized by the Instructional Coach and teacher leaders to ensure practicality, relevance, and a means for follow-through.
Effectiveness is measured by visible improvements in instructional practice, scale of impact, leverage of funds, and alteration of individual of group attitudes, behaviors, and norms. Some previous LPPR Cycles include: Class Culture for the Common Core, Academic Language Functions, and Independent Readers and Writers.
e. The goals and anticipated outcomes of this model program in relation to students, teachers, parents/guardians, and community members
RHS recognizes that its goals cannot be reached without the input and support of policymakers, community groups, administrators, teachers, parents, students and support staff all working together. Because our goals are shaped in a community, we use both formal and informal networks for co-defining goals and outcomes to include: LCAP Planning Open Sessions, LCAP Surveys, School Site Council, Student Advisory Committee, PTSA, Curriculum Meetings, District Content Specialist Meetings,Technology Committee Meetings, Associated Student Body, and others. Specific goals include:f. How this model program benefits all students and affects school-wide achievement
The maximally inclusive Co-discovery model benefits all students by including all stakeholders and creating a framework for comprehensive implementation. The practice of co-defining allows RHS to draw input from our diverse student body, regular education teachers, Special Education teachers, community members, and other stakeholders so that students do not "slip through the cracks." Further, the practice of co-learning ensures that RHS teachers collectively receive systematic training and professional development so that all students, regardless of class schedule or program, receives high quality instruction, and that parents also receive professional development to support children's school success.This multi-dimensional approach has resulted in steadily increasing standardized test scores across all subgroups, number and percentage of students participating in higher level courses, and number of students succeeding in 2- and 4-year colleges.
g. How this model program benefits unique student populations in the learning community
The Co-discovery model emphasizes the necessity of honoring the needs of all students, to include those of unique student populations in the learning community. We acknowledge that students with low incomes, low rates of high school persistence, low language attainment, and low level of parents' education attainment face unique barriers that must be overcome through partnerships and persistence. Unique populations accelerate progress through:h. How this model program addresses students' social-emotional, behavioral, and academic achievement needs
The Co-discovery model's focus on inclusion allows RHS to be both proactive and reactive to the social-emotional, behavioral, and academic needs of all students.As an example, co-defining took place when incoming students from high-poverty households had low academic expectations: stakeholders decided to offer AP courses to any students who felt that they would benefit rather than limiting enrollment to top performing students. This bolstered students' expectations for themselves and provided opportunities for those who may not have thought of themselves as "college material." This was further supported by an AVID model that identified potential "falling through the cracks" students and provided them with support and motivation to enroll in AP courses and pursue higher education.
Co-learning has also allowed RHS teachers to better understand how academic achievement, social-emotional support, and behavior are interwoven and to address the holistic needs of our students. RHS teachers have all participated in professional development in how to foster a safe classroom environment that promotes participation and professionalism, which has led to increases in student participation. Some strategies include surveying students, collaboration with counseling services, self-studies, and a focus on healthy class culture. Other examples include the RHS Summer Bridge program, which offers a "head-start" to students who may need extra support as they transition into high school.
i. How this model program/practice/strategy is correlated to all SBE-adopted academic content and performance standards
The Co-discovery model correlates to all State Board of Education-adopted standards. It considers the need to be flexible and inclusive in co-defining potential obstacles and opportunities in addressing the standards, co-learning how to best support students in achieving the standards, and co-creating systems, curriculum, programs, and initiatives that foster success for all students in achieving mastery of standards.j. How this model program is linked to your LCAP
RHS aligns with the LCAP through co-defining a clear vision among stakeholders about new standards and the need to maintain a sharp focus on learning. The Co-discovery model addresses the LCAP via co-learning:Co-creating links the model to LCAP, e.g., the idea that certain Honors classes could morph into APS; the courage to take on AP "gatekeepers" - teachers who only wanted "A" students; and district support for a Principal to change an AP teacher if (s)he could not make this classroom culture change.